Hi all, I am currently looking to replace my speakers. I use them mostly for classical music, with emphsis on opera. My current setup is a set of b&w dm620 with an audio lab 8000 amp. I prefer to keep my current amp if possible. Ideally something in the range of $3000, but can go higher for significant gain. My room is roughly 300 sq ft. Thank you for your help.

Just listend to the 2nd hand Magnepan 3.6R. I think this is the best speaker I ever listened to. The dealer is asking for ~3.5K. Do you think this is a resonable price? Or should I go for a new pair, maybe 1.7 or even 3.7? (it would cost me an extra 500 to get them to Israel).

I bought the 3.6rs, and I can’t tell you how happy I am. I stayed up last night until 2AM listening to different pieces, and just couldn’t get away.

BTW, I also listened to the 1.7s, and I am convinced that the 3.6rs are significantly better (unlike some of the reviews out there). The 3.6s have much better bass and I even think cleaner highs. My only other explanation for this is that my listening room is realy ideal, while the place where I auditioned the 1.7s seemed to be problematic to me.

I am running the speakers with the audiolab amp and things seem to be excellent.

Thank you for the terrific advice!!! I wouldn’t have thought of going this way if it wasn’t for this.

After auditioning a number of amps/pre setups I settled with a Conrad Johnson MF2200 amp and an Audible Illusions M3A per. The sound is incredible. The violin and piano sound absolutely real. I am rediscovering the music after many years of being away from it.

Would be glad to hear of your opinion on this setup, or any upgrade suggestions you may have.

The gear you have will provide listening pleasure for many years. Yes the 3.6R's have cleaner highs. The true ribbon tweeters are responsible for that. Naturally they have better bass. The larger diaphragm assures that. You have IMO a very good system. What are your source components? Do you have a turntable?

Since I just starting setting this system about 4 weeks ago I am still using an old Yamaha CD player (CDX-E100) as a source, which I suspect is not doing justice to the setup. I am using borrowed cables/interconnects from my used equipment dealer.

I don't have a turn table but would really like to try it in the near future.

BTW, two days ago I was using a Denon DCD-A100, which I believe is a good source. When I swapped to my Yamaha I could tell there was difference (for the worst). However, I also swapped the RCA cables at the same time, so on a hunch I tired my Yamaha with the original good cables (Synergistic Mark I) and I think the sound "came back". Unfortunately I had to return the Denon so I didn't have the time to really experiment and confirm this observation. I have to admit that I am a total skeptic as to the effect of cables (I come from a fairly good engineering background and it seems to me that transmitting a low power <20KHz signal is really easy), but this one time event makes me think that I need to research this aspect carefully.

It's definitely counterintuitive with cables. In theory properly functioning cables should sound pretty much alike. Unfortunately they don't. The only thing you can do is audition them as you did with speakers.

I've found that with mid level CD players an external DAC can make a significant difference in the sound. That may be an area you should investigate.

Over the past week I have been trying a CJ MV60se amp (with my Magnepan 3.6rs). After many many hours of listening to many recordings I have come to the conclusion that this is a big improvement over the MF2200 (I even dare say huge). As I am writing this I am listening to a chamber piece and the sound absolutely addicting. With the MV60 the low frequencies seem to be in perfect balance with the mids and highs. The highs are more refined and slightly less “bright”. I find myself listening at lower volumes due to the improved bass. I discovered that one of the best way for me to evaluate the sound is with a great piano solo, and the piano with this amp sounds better then I have ever heard it on any system. The strange thing is that according to specs the MV60se (a 60W amp) should not be the right match. This of course manifests itself if I try to crank it up to high SPLs – piano starts to distort – but it is at a level that I can live without.

So this makes me think, is this due to the tube nature of the amp? or simply that it is a better amp and that another SS will do just as good it not better?

Next week I will be trying this with the newly acquired Wilson CUB 2s (couldn’t resist the urge (I go the bug bad)). Anyone has any comment/suggestion on a good matching amp (I hope the MV60 will work out, otherwise I will be in big trouble with the boss)?